Data deduplication allows backup systems to save storage space by reducing the backup of data previously backed up (i.e., duplicate data). A backup system may generate a fingerprint or hash of a data segment (e.g., a block) to be backed up. If the hash or fingerprint matches a data segment previously stored, a backup system may simply record a reference or pointer to the previously stored data segment. For example, a second backup of a server volume may not backup data segments (even if changed) if a reference from the backup to a previously stored copy of the segment may be made. References to previously stored segments may reduce an amount of storage needed for a backup by sharing segments across multiple backups. Restoration from a deduplicated backup may require that data is retrieved from the backup as well as data referenced by the backup.
References in backups to data segments may result in references to segments scattered across storage (e.g., references pointing to segments dispersed over a large volume). Restoration performance may be degraded as Input/Output (I/O) requests become random. Also, efforts to reduce fragmentation may increase backup server overhead.
In view of the foregoing, it may be understood that there may be significant problems and shortcomings associated with current security information improvement technologies.